Category Archives: Summer

Alvin!

This little critter appeared and entertained me for a while.

Chipmunks are rodents that are a type of squirrel. These small, furry animals are identified by their stubby legs, bushy tails and the white, black and brown stripes that run down their backs.

Chipmunks are the smallest members of the squirrel family, according to National Geographic. The biggest species of chipmunk is the Eastern chipmunk. It grows to 11 inches (28 centimeters) and weighs up to 4.4 ounces (125 grams).

Chipmunks are small, ground-dwelling members of the squirrel (Sciuridae) family known for their burrowing habits and love of nuts. Despite their size, chipmunks can cause significant damage to homes, yards, and farms.

We have already seen Voles in our yard and now we see this burrowing animal, too.

Things are warming up here in Northeastern Washington. We are inching closer and closer to the upper 90’s. We are working in the early hours and enjoying our inside cool air in the afternoon and evening. We are happy we made the decision to have a heat pump installed.

In my daily readings I read a verse in Matthew that caught my attention. I’ve read that portion of scripture before but this time reading that portion in the ESV (English Standard Version) made me underline it. One of the words that made me look twice was relaxes.

Jesus speaking to the multitudes:

Matthew 5:17-20

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Summer Visitors

This buck that has visited our back yard has an antler out of whack.

I wonder if his deer friends notice?

We have other summer visitors on a smaller scale, too.

Baby quail are getting bigger every day.

There are also lots of baby turkeys in the area that cause some road hazards.

We will enjoy some human summer visitors, too, soon. Are you expecting any visitors or have you already had summer visitors? If you are or have I hope they were or are of the encouraging types.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Woody Woodpecker

Seems like it’s time for these babes to be out flying on their own.

These Peckers chose a tree stump in our front yard to nest in.

I was wondering if mama is inside getting food from daddy for the baby woodpeckers.

She seems to be telling him a thing or two.

Our satellite internet has been extremely slow and uploading photos takes a lot of time. Sigh.

I had a couple projects with a twist on my agenda today and mowing the lawns is on the agenda for tomorrow. Hope to get around to any new posts in blogland on Wednesday evening. Half of July is in the record books. Hope it’s going well for you.

Know Your Strengths…

The Greenhouse really does it’s job in encouraging things to grow, just look at these weeds.

We will probably sell the greenhouse or give it away to someone who will make good use of it.

It’s good to face the facts and the fact is we are not gardeners. The greenhouse is something that a gardener can make good use of.

We’ve been repurposing some planters and making areas of the yard more accessible to the riding lawn mower. We also continue to pull weeds.

If you had a greenhouse what would you plant in it?

 

A Week of Mosaics

Weekend last we had some precious time with our grands and kids.

On Monday the electric company sent tree trimmers to top some of the trees in our backyard that were encroaching on the transformer and wires.

On the first day of summer I took a walk about our country bungalow to document the plants that are growing and blooming.

These are the last of the pink peonies we have in our yard. The crystal vase on the left was a wedding gift from my little babushka. Some of you might recognize the Princess House vase on the right.

We can take no credit for planting anything you see in the collages/mosaics. We are enjoying the fruit of someone else’s labor in the planning and planting on our property. What’s left to us is weeding and pruning in the future.

Linking up with Angie at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf for Mosaic Monday.

Do you have any traveling plans for the summer? Lord willing, we plan to take some day trips into Canada and around our area and we are hoping for visitors to our country bungalow. This is Dear’s last week of his part-time contracting job so he will be officially retired come Friday afternoon. I told him I’d like to celebrate by making an appointment for a massage for myself. He questioned my logic since he’s the one retiring.

Hello Summer!

Now that summer is here our temps have been lower. I’m not complaining. I much prefer temps in the 70’s instead of the 80’s and 90’s.

Addy is happy with a storage tub filled with some water to play in. Who needs a fancy blow up pool?

I don’t know if I’ve shared these quotes from Alistair Begg before but I’m posting them here for my benefit.

“Don’t erect a monument to all your disappointments.”

“There is a perverse sense of satisfaction in our feeling sorry for ourselves”

And some verses from Psalm 119: 133, 160, 175:

Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

The sum of your word is truth and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Let my soul live and praise you and let your rules help me.

Have a good Saturday everyone.

Gettin Better All the Time…

On Saturday the troops arrived to help us fill our 2nd Container.

We were so pleased and thankful that the container got filled by 3pm. Our helpers worked hard and efficiently and we were grateful for the excellent help. The filling of this second container worked better than our first and we are hoping the next one will be easier still. On Monday another container will be dropped off and this filled container will go back to the yard.

We took Sunday off from our mad packing schedule to recuperate and relax. After making blueberry pancakes for breakfast, using the fresh picked blueberries from our bush, I joined in online to a church service at Parkside church where Alistair Begg preaches. At eight I watched the World Cup Final match seeing France win over Croatia. Late in the morning I shopped for a few more bins and then we ate out for linner (lunch/dinner). Our kitchen is getting down to the bare necessities. I’m now watching some Seattle Sounders Soccer, too. It feels good to have a down day here.

When we were in Colville we took some photos of hay being rolled on July 7th.

Make Hay While the Sun Shines!

Summertime!

While we were in Colville it was hot enough to enjoy some water play.

Meanwhile back at this old house we are packing, packing, and packing. Some sorting and some runs to Goodwill to get rid of stuff.

I’m happy to say I managed to watch World Cup soccer while packing stuff, too. How’s your summer going?

Goodbye Hello Hodgepodge

Goodbye to Summer, Hello to Autumn!

1. What’s something you’d rate a 10/10? Tell us why.

First and foremost being redeemed by Jesus is always something that is a 10/10 because I’m at peace with God and enjoy all His benefits. But here’s another little something that rates 10/10 these days.

Being a grandparent rates a 10/10 for me. We’ve only been grandparents for 6 months now but it has been delightful in so many ways. It’s fun to see our children step up in new roles surrounding this little one. So many new things to experience while watching her grow in the first year of life.

2. What job would you be terrible at? What makes you think so?

I do not think I’d be a good manager. I’m just tempted to do things myself instead of telling people what to do.

3. When did you last take a fall?

Thankfully it’s been a while since I’ve fallen. My last significant fall landed me in the ER for several hours. I met a few rainy, slimey cement stairs with my face and had to have x-rays and be put on an antibiotic because of the significant cut on my nose. It was not a pretty sight, for a very long time.

What’s something you’re falling for (in a good way) these days?

Having Dear (my husband) around all the time. Now if he could be around and get a paycheck, too, that would be grand!

4. According to the Travel Channel here are some of America’s best fall festivals-
National Apple Harvest Festival (near Arendtsville PA, close to Gettysburg), Harvest on the Harbor (Portland Maine), German Village Festival (Columbus Ohio), Wellfleet Oyster Fest (Cape Cod), and Wine and Chile Fiesta (Santa Fe NM)

Have you ever been to any of the festivals listed?  No

Which one appeals to you most?

I think I would really enjoy visiting Maine so I’ll pick Harvest on the Water in Portland, Maine.

Does your hometown have any sort of fall celebration, and if so will you make it a point to attend?

Seattle and some neighboring cities have some (Sausage Festival, Octoberfest, Autumn Leaves) but my hometown does not have any. These days I’m not a fan of navigating through crowds of people so I won’t be making a point to attend. I might take an Autumn drive to see some changing of the leaves.

5. What is your goodbye message to summer?

Adios smoky dry summer! Come back next year with less dryness and no forest fires, please. The air quality was so bad in Addy’s hometown that she had to stay indoors for a significant amount of time lately. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Our grandparenting skills will be put to the test this Saturday as our kids have their first evening out planned since Addy was born. They are flying in Thursday evening (Addy’s first airplane ride) and will join good friends for a concert in Seattle on Saturday evening. Addy will have a couple days to get used to seeing us again before she gets left alone with us. We get to put her down for the night. Here’s hoping she won’t refuse a bottle. She’s not a fan of bottles. Mommy is best. But…we have a saying in Russian that loosely translated says “by the time she gets married this will have healed”. She and we will survive whatever may come.

A big thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond for the Wednesday Hodgepodge questions.